Short Answer Questions

1. What does Ellie do in anticipation of attending the game and party at Will's house?

2. What makes Ellie happy when she observes Jennifer and Will?

3. Why was Marco Campbell kicked out of school the year before?

4. What does Ellie's mother quote at dinner?

5. What is Will's father rumored to have done?

Short Essay Questions

1. What happens as the teens prepare to go sailing?

2. Summarize what Ellie says about the Arthurian legend.

3. What poem is initially assigned to Ellie in class? How does she get a different one?

4. Why is Will being pressured by his father?

5. Why is Ellie running with her father in a wooded area?

6. What does Jennifer want when Ellie talks to her at Ellie's locker?

7. What do Ellie and Will talk about as they are floating in the pool?

8. What gossip does Liz tell Ellie about Will's family?

9. Describe Ellie's encounter with Mr. Morton at the football game.

10. What happens during the football game with Will, Lance, and one of the other team members?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Will and she asks him if there is something upsetting him. He says no, but goes on to tell her that his dad is pressuring him to attend the Naval Academy for college. Will tells her that he will get in, but that he doesn't want to be in the military and that his father is having a hard time accepting his decision. Ellie tells him his father is probably pushing him into a Naval career because he feels it is the best thing for Will. Will expresses, very eloquently, that he doesn't want to go into the military because he believes in peace and negotiation. Ellie suggests Will talk to his step-mom and ask her to try and convince his father to ease up on talk of Will joining the military. Will finally told his father that he didn't intend to go to college at the Naval Academy. Will's father was so enraged that he kicked Will out of the house.

1. Discuss reasons Will's father might be pressuring Will to go to the Naval Academy? Consider the possibilities of both positive, e.g. he thinks it will be good for Will and negative, e.g. Mr. Wagner's ego is involved, when writing your answer. Use examples from Avalon High and your own life to support your answer.

2. Discuss what Will's belief in peace and negotiations says about his values, morals and his character. Use examples from Avalon High and your own life to support your answer.

3. Why do you think Will has not considered speaking to his mother about helping him and Ellie comes up the the idea? Discuss this in terms of their different family dynamics, their personalities and their genders. Use examples from Avalon High and your own life to support your answer.

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the following:

1. What is a plot? What are the most important elements of a plot and their definition? Do all novels have a plot? Why or why not?

2. Write a brief synopsis of the plot of Avalon High, identifying where the various elements of the plot occur (Exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution or denouement). Do you find it difficult to identify the plot? Why or why not? What about the various elements of the plot?

3. Identify the major sub-plots and their elements in Avalon High. (The subplots may not contain every element of a major plot). Do the sub-plots add to the main plot? Why or why not. Are the sub-plots interesting in and of themselves? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

Often, authors will write about "what they know," and sometimes knowing a little about the author makes the books more interesting. Discuss the following:

1. Research and give a brief biographical sketch of Meg Cabot.

2. What in Cabot's background may have helped her in writing Avalon High? What may have influenced the way she depicts various characters and scenes?

3. Do you think there is always some of the author's own life in his/her novels? Why or why not? Give examples.